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Beefin her up!

1479 Views 5 Replies 2 Participants Last post by  Beef supreme
Alright fellas, I've got a 1995 trans am, my current upgrades include:

Poly MMs
Poly transmission mounts
Longtube race style headers + ory
Trickflow CAI + K&N air filter
160 t-stat

I'm looking to put a hot cam or something equivalent to match the stock heads/bottom. My long term is to be upgrading to patriot springs, some 1.6 RRs, a true double roller chain, and maybe some aftermarket pushrods.

My question is what would be the best bang for buck upgrades I could throw on my 4l60e to make her last with this setup? It's got about 15k on it since last rebuilt but it was rebuilt with stock ratings in mind by a local shop.

I've been reading around and I see billet servos and shift kit come into discussion
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It's not so much what you can put ON it... its more what you put IN it. The 4L60E had many design flaws that limit it's performance and reliability. It's easy enough to correct those issues if it's built CORRECTLY with performance in mind. A stock build won't like higher RPM shifts or hard launches.

Frank
We use a billet 2nd and 4th servo in our "Race" and "Pro Race" builds...BUT...You have to have a 2-4 band that won't break or rip the anchor lug out when using billet. A harder 1-2 shift is also hard on a stock (weak) sun shell. A "shift kit" won't address all the internal problems.

Frank
We use a billet 2nd and 4th servo in our "Race" and "Pro Race" builds...BUT...You have to have a 2-4 band that won't break or rip the anchor lug out when using billet. A harder 1-2 shift is also hard on a stock (weak) sun shell. A "shift kit" won't address all the internal problems.

It's not so much what you can put ON it... its more what you put IN it. The 4L60E had many design flaws that limit it's performance and reliability. It's easy enough to correct those issues if it's built CORRECTLY with performance in mind. A stock build won't like higher RPM shifts or hard launches.

Frank
I'm prepared to rebuild it using a kit, I've been reading on the procedures to disassemble and reassemble the 4l60e as well as watching a few hours of videos step-by-step.

I do know that some kits don't include the entirety of what's required for a performance build.. I guess what I'm asking is where should I start or what would you reccommend as far as upgrade parts go?

I'd like some room to grow, something to last with 400 hp/torque.
You'll spend right around $700 to buy the parts for the equivilant to our "Race" build. Do you already have the $500 worth of specialty tools it requires to build a 4L60E? No respected 4L60E builder will use a "kit". We source the best parts from various suppiers. Unless you have quite a bit of transmission building backround, a 4L60E is not the transmission to start with. There's no book or video that will show you how to build one for performance use.

Frank
You'll spend right around $700 to buy the parts for the equivilant to our "Race" build. Do you already have the $500 worth of specialty tools it requires to build a 4L60E? No respected 4L60E builder will use a "kit". We source the best parts from various suppiers. Unless you have quite a bit of transmission building backround, a 4L60E is not the transmission to start with. There's no book or video that will show you how to build one for performance use.

Frank
I'm looking to spend up to $1500 in total but I like to conserve where I can.

Well all I'm lacking is the bushing drivers but I know sets specifically for the 4l60e can be had for 100-200. I've watched kits be installed that included parts such as aftermarket clutches, band, accumulators, servos, sungear, sunshell, planetaries and valve bodies. I've brushed up on it quite a bit, I've watched hours of it being done haha. It's very interesting to me, it doesn't seem too complex, just tedious.

I'm pretty confident in my ability to rebuild a 4l60e, I haven't done one by myself but I was an extra set of hands with my buddy a year or two ago on his. I've rebuilt a couple of trannies for a little money by myself but no 4l60e.
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